Summa de Ecclesia

¹

Moreover the Church is found to be called in likeness or mystically a vineyard, a garden, a fount, a well of living waters. That she is called a vineyard is found in Isa. 5: the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel; and in Matt. 20: the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire his laborers into his vineyard. For Christ is the true householder who, having care of the whole human race, at every time sends laborers to till the vineyard, that is, the Church. But the universal Church is called a vineyard for a twofold reason. First on account of her most ample and continuous propagation; for continuously branches, that is, just men, are propagated from her. Hence Gregory, treating the word just adduced, Matt. 20, says: this householder is our founder, who has a vineyard, the universal Church, which from Abel even to the last elect who is to be born at the end, sent forth as many branches as the saints she brought forth.

Secondly, because from her flows the spiritual wine by which the just faithful are watered and inebriated and gladdened with heavenly delight — of which the prophet: wine gladdens the heart of man, Ps. 103 — the Gloss: this wine so inebriates as to render sober; this drunkenness is seen in the alienation of the mind from earth to heaven. And this wine is not carnal, by which some are evilly inebriated, but spiritual, refreshing the inward man with spiritual joy.

Moreover concerning this, that the Church is called a vineyard, there is an illustrious testimony in Song ult., where in the person of the Church it is said: I was a vineyard to the peaceable, among her who has peoples. A vineyard, he says, is the Church according to the Gloss, which was gathered from diverse peoples, namely of the Gentiles and the Jews; I was to the peaceable, that is, to Christ, who is rightly named the peaceable. He indeed composed peace between God and man, on account of which he is called the mediator of God and men, that is, Tim. 2. Likewise he made peace between man and angel, Col. 1: making peace through the blood of the cross, whether the things in heaven or the things on earth — the Gloss: heavenly and earthly. Likewise he brought the Gentiles and the Jews back to peace, joining them in the worship of one God, in Eph. 2: he is our peace who made both one — the Gloss: each people into one, both in faith and in morals. He is the cornerstone in which the two peoples, like walls coming from different corners, are joined to each other as in the kiss of peace — thus the Gloss.

Let us say further that this vineyard is said to have been planted by the supreme householder himself in the very beginning of the human race, Jer. 2: I planted thee an elect vineyard. Then she is read to have been carried over from Egypt into the land of promise, Ps. 79: thou broughtest a vineyard out of Egypt into the land, namely of promise — the Gloss: that is, the Church, which began from the Jews and is perfected in the Gentiles. Next she is read to have been handed over to husbandmen to till, Matt. 21: there was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen. And Matt. 20 says of the same: he sent laborers into his vineyard. The laborers are the preachers, whom the householder does not cease to send to instruct the faithful people, as Gregory says.

²

But of the tilling of this vineyard Bernard thus speaks: this vineyard of the Lord of hosts was planted in faith, sends roots in charity, dug with the hoe of discipline, dunged with the tears of penitents, watered with the teachings of preachers, and abounding with the sweetest wine of delight — thus Bernard. Likewise the Church is read to be named a garden, according to Song 4: a garden enclosed is my sister; and in the chapter, all things considered, and in the chapter, since old, 24 q. 1. And she is so named, according to the Gloss, on account of the pleasantness, the fragrance of flowers, of spices, and the plenty of the best fruits. For in this garden of the Church there are most pleasant and beautiful flowers, very many also according to the variety of the graces and honors of her members. Indeed in it smells the flower of the vine, which, since from it a single grape is formed, designates the most blessed Virgin, most comely and most flourishing, who bore that grape in whose wine and blood Judah — that is, everyone pertaining to the Church by confession of faith — washes his robe and his cloak, that is, each man, as is found in Gen. 49: Judah in wine, namely which was shed for many unto the remission of sins, washed his robe and his cloak in his blood. There smells also in the garden of the Church the flower of the lily, which is white in virgins. The flower of the violet, which is small and purple in the innocent. The flower of the pomegranate, which is red in the apostles, who not only by word and example but also by their blood founded innumerable churches throughout the world. There smells moreover the flower of the rose, which is blood-red in martyrs. The flower of the olive, which is rich in holy confessors, by whose richness of character too, and by the works of mercy with which they abounded, they are rightly designated by the olive. There smells also the flower of the almond, which, though born in the time of cold, yet does not wither from fruit — in the patriarchs and prophets, who in the winter of unbelief and the frost of iniquity flourished with teaching of word and holiness of work, and made unfading fruit of eternal reward. There smells also in the garden of the Church the flower of the ear of grain, which, since it is born among chaff and awns, designates the state of holy married people — to whom many chaffs of venial sins cling; they have many awns of the miseries of the present world, and are pricked by the goads of worldly care, and are very much wearied with care for their own household; nevertheless they bring forth the flower and fruit of holiness.

Of the fragrance of the spices of this garden of the Church it is said in Song 6: my beloved went down into his garden, to the bed of spices. For the holy Church is rightly called in good faithful a bed of spices, because through the excellence of her virtues and the beauty of holy conduct she smells in them with a glorious name. Ecclesiasticus 24: I as a vine brought forth fruit of sweet smell, etc. Of the fruits of this garden it is said in Song 5: let my beloved come into his garden, that he may eat the fruit of apples, that is, of his works, which like apples are delectable and fragrant. But she is called a garden enclosed, that is, closed on every side — not exposed to beasts, nor to birds, nor to thieves, nor to enemies. And she is called twice enclosed on account of the double enclosure, of which it is said in Isa. 26: the city of our strength is Zion the Savior; there shall be set in her a wall according to divinity, defending and fortifying her within, and a bulwark according to humanity — or a bulwark, that is, the guard of angels who fortify her without.

³

Next the Church is also read to be named a fount. Hence in Song 4 she is called a sealed fountain — and this for a twofold reason. First on account of the abundance of watering teaching. Hence the Gloss on Song 4: the Church is called a fount because she abounds with salutary teaching, whence she waters her neighbors. And she is called a sealed fount because the spiritual sense is hidden from the unworthy and is troubled by no assault. Isa. 56: thou shalt be as a watered garden, and as a fount of waters whose waters shall not fail. Secondly the Church is called a fount because from her a plenty of many salutary waters redounds unto the health of the faithful. From this fount flows first the water of baptism; by water original sin is washed away — by reason of which it is said in Zach. 13: there shall be a fount, a well, to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for the washing of sins and of the menstruous woman. Moreover flows the water of repentance, by which actual sins are washed away — by reason of which it is said in Joel 3: a fount shall go forth from the house of the Lord and water the torrent of thorns, that is, of sins. And she is called a sealed fount because, as Augustine says concerning the sacraments, under the covering of visible things the divine power more secretly works health. Well.

Likewise she is read to be named a well of living waters — hence in the place named above it is added thus: a well of living waters, which flow with force from Lebanon. But by the appellation of a well the Church is described by reason of the depth of her mysteries. Hence the Gloss says thus: she is called a well on account of the hidden mysteries which are laid open to the saints alone by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. And she is called a well of waters on account of the divine words which proceed from the invisible treasures of divine grace, since they lead unto eternal life, according to John 4: there shall become in him a fount of living water springing up into eternal life — which flow with force, that is, abundantly, Ps. 45: the force of the river gladdens the city of God — from Lebanon, that is, from Christ, who is the brightness of eternal light, Wisdom 7. For from him flow all spiritual gifts, John 1: for of his fullness we have all received.